Evaluation of choroidal thickness in amblyopia using optical coherence tomography

Objective: To investigate the choroidal thickness in children with amblyopia through spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Methods: A total of 31 children with unilateral amblyopia and 31 right eyes of controls with normal vision were enrolled in the study. The choroidal thickness was measured directly below the fovea and at 12 other locations: 1, 2 and 3 mm superior, temporal, inferior, and nasal to the fovea. All the parameters were compared between amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes, and control eyes. Results: The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 398.03 +/- 74.60, 354.13 +/- 81.78, and 328.12 +/- 65.93 mu m in amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes, and control eyes, respectively. Significant difference was found in choroidal thickness among three groups at subfoveal choroidal thickness, N1, and S1 using multivariate analysis of covariance after adjusting for axial length. Significant negative correlation was found only between subfoveal choroidal thickness and axial length in amblyopic eyes (r = -0.463, p = 0.01). Conclusion: The subfoveal choroid is significantly thicker in amblyopic eyes than control eyes only at subfoveal choroidal thickness, N1, and S1. The choroidal thickness was thickest in the subfoveal region and thinnest in the nasal region. There are other changes in choroidal structure associated with amblyopia.